The thing West does is not just play basketball brilliantly, but play it best when it counts the most. This is the rarest of things.
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Forever on Tryout, 1980
Every time a man is waived, the odds of finding a job in the NBA decrease. Deserved or not, he gets a book, a rep that he can’t shake.
Charlie Criss: Guts and Elbows Basketball, 1977
Criss became known as “The Mosquito,” and it was not a phony alliterative or geographical title invented by a P.R. man. It was a high sign to Criss that even though there were guys on the playground nobody ever heard of, many of them could hold their own with the best in the NBA.
Dave Stallworth: ‘I’m One Lucky Man,’ 1970
A silver medallion hung around his neck and flew in and out of his practice uniform. Dave fingered it as he moved around the court. There were sweatbands on each of his wrists.
Kevin McHale: Superstar in His Own Right, 1989
This is Kevin McHale, who will turn 31 years old early in the 1988-89 National Basketball Association season, talking about his future.
Emmette Bryant: Living the NBA Dream, 1970
Now the world knows what Bryant did for the Celtics when he got a chance to play for them last winter. He steadied them for a playoff position, then produced many clutch moments in the burst to glory.
Rick Barry Rates His All-Time Opponents, 1980
As one of the few players who had the chance to play pro basketball in three different decades (the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s), it also was my fortune to play both against—and with—most of the great players produced by the National Basketball Association.
Bobby McDermott: Blast from the Distant Past
The temperamental side of McDermott’s personality made him a forerunner to the Billy Martins and Bobby Knights, although Buddy Jeannette, his outstanding backcourt mate with the Pistons, noted, “Compared to Mac, Bobby Knight is a saint.”
No One Plays It Harder Than Dave Cowens, 1977
Cowens’ defensive brilliance is probably more valuable to the Celtics than his offensive contributions.
Calvin Murphy: The Little Man Plays It Big, 1972
It doesn’t matter where Calvin Murphy will be operating—even among all those tall Texans—he’s sure to be one of the giants in his specialty. So what if he’s only 5-foot-10 . . . errr, 5-foot-9. Every inch of him is a professional.
From Way Downtown 